Sarah Crowden

Last updated

Sarah Crowden
Born (1955-05-08) 8 May 1955 (age 69)
Edinburgh, Scotland
Years active1974–present
Parent

Sarah Crowden (born 8 May 1955) is a Scottish actress. She is best known for playing the role of Lady Manville in the British television series Downton Abbey , as well as Miss Thimble in the detective series Sister Boniface Mysteries . [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Crowden was born on 8 May 1955 in Edinburgh, the daughter of actor Clement Graham Crowden (1922–2010) and actress Phyllida Hewat. She attended The Open University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree as well as a diploma in Literature. In 2010, she was awarded a Foundation Certificate in Bricklaying. [1] [2]

Career

Crowden started her acting career in 1974 when she joined The Actors' Company as a Student Assistant Stage Manager. One of her first notable role was as Helen in the movie adaption of Agatha Christie's The Seven Dials Mystery (1981). [3] She has played supporting roles in numerous television series and movies such as A Dance to the Music of Time , The Sarah Jane Adventures , Downtown Abbey and The Sister Boniface Mysteries. She received favourable reviews for her portrayal of Dame Hilda in the 2010 production of If So, Then Yes by N. F. Simpson with critic Michael Billington calling her performance as "a Thatcherite supervisor" shining and Dominic Maxwell of The Times praising her ability to "work wonders in restricted circumstances". [4] [5]

In 2017, Crowden started performing stand-up comedy on the London circuit as her self-created character Dame Theresa Thomson's-Gazelle. [6]

Apart from her acting career, Crowden is also a professional writer. She has written pieces for The Lady , TLS , Geographical Review and Literary Review , amongst others, and regularly contributes to Slightly Foxed . [1]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981 Agatha Christie's Seven Dials Mystery Helenmovie
1983 The Fourth Arm A.T.S. Sgt. Brookes1 episode
1983Pig in the MiddleTrish1 episode
1984 Cockles Miss Ida Findlesham1 episode
1984Swallows and Amazons Forever: Coot ClubLivy (Hullabaloo)movie
1985 Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire uncreditedmovie
1986HaremCharlottemovie
1986 David Copperfield Jane Murdstone3 episode
1986The Oldest Goose in the BusinessMiss Debenhammovie
1987Screen TwoCub Mistressmovie
1987 A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery Hotel Receptionist1 episode
1987Father Matthew's DaughterMs. Wright1 episode
1988 The Storyteller Queen1 episode
1988 The Rainbow Catherine Phillips1 episodes
1989 Mystery!: Campion Sadie1 episode
1989 Great Expectations (1989 TV series) Miss Skiffkins1 episode
1989 Erik the Viking Grimhild Housewifemovie
1991 Poirot Receptionist1 episode
1991 Lovejoy Rosemary Blake1 episode
1992 Orlando Queen Marymovie
1992 ScreenPlay Sarah1 episode
1994SmokescreenMiss Chittock1 episode
1995 Julia Jekyll and Harriet Hyde Miss Print1 episode
1996 Rab C. Nesbitt Phoebe1 episode
1996 The Detectives Head Teacher1 episode
1996 The Wind in the Willows Samanthamovie
1997 A Dance to the Music of Time Miss Orchard1 episodes
1997 The Man Who Knew Too Little Sylviamovie
1998 Our Mutual Friend First Guest4 episodes
1998 Vanity Fair Lady Blanche3 episodes
1999 ChuckleVision Mrs. Fiona Fortescue-Smythe1 episode
2000 Brotherly Love Morag Ranloch1 episode
2001 Love in a Cold Climate Third Twitterer3 episodes
2002 Tipping the Velvet Woman with Pipe2 episodes
2003 My Hero Mrs Clark1 episode
2004 He knew He Was Right Mrs. MacHugh2 episodes
2004 Perfect Strangers Angry Opera Lovermovie
2006 The Afternoon Play Lady-in-Waiting1 episode
2006 Longford Lady Treemovie
2006 Miss Potter Lady Clilffordmovie
2007 The Sarah Jane Adventures Mrs Gribbins2 episodes
2007 Joe's Palace Middle-aged womanmovie
2008 The Oxford Murders Shop Assistantmovie
2008 Brideshead Revisited Lady Guestmovie
2008 Affinity Adamovie
2009 The Green Green Grass Antiques Expert1 episode
2010 Upstairs Downstairs Instructress1 episode
2012 Quartet Felicity Liddlemovie
2013 Endeavour Miss Thornhill1 episode
2013Quartet: Deleted ScenesFelicity Liddleuncredited
2013 Doctors Mrs. Hilary Warton1 episode
2012–2014 Downton Abbey Lady Manville2 episode
2014 The Riot Club Elderly Womanmovie
2015CockroachesThe Old Crone3 episodes
2015 Wolf Hall Lady Exeter2 episodes
2015 Jupiter Ascending Bureaucratmovie
2015 New Tricks Flora Fox1 episode
2015 Doc Martin Mrs. Kelleher1 episode
2015 Mr. Holmes Mrs. Hudsonmovie
2015 Queen of the Desert Lady Ascotmovie, uncredited
2016 The Last Dragonslayer Pritchett Lane House Ownermovie
2018 The Little Stranger Miss Dabneymovie
2018 Peterloo Lady at Racesmovie
2019 The Durrells Melanie Countess De Torro2 episodes
2019 Grantchester Mrs. Bennett4 episodes
2021 Cruella Beehive Ladymovie
2022–present Sister Boniface Mysteries Miss Thimble12 episodes
2023 All the Light We Cannot See Jacqueline / Madam Blanchard2 episodes

Stage

YearTitleRoleVenue
2002 20,000 Leagues under the Sea Lady Snide-WorthingtonStratford East Theatre
2005 Little Women Aunt March Duchess Theatre (West End)
2006 A Resounding Tinkle Nora Royal Court
2010If So, Then YesDame Hilda Jermyn Street Theatre
2011 Flare Path Mrs OakesPlayful Productions / Theatre Royal Haymarket
2015The TrialMrs Barrow The Young Vic
2017Bang BangThe Countess Mercury Theatre, Colchester
2018Hilda & VirginiaVirginia Woolf and Hilda of WhitbyJermyn Street Theatre
2018 The Chalk Garden The Third Lady Applicant Chichester Festival Theatre
2019 Handbagged 'T' Salibsury Playhouse, York Royal & Oldham Coliseum

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sarah Crowden". IMDb. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  2. "Sarah Crowden". Moviefone. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  3. Wharmby, Tony, Seven Dials Mystery (Adventure, Mystery, Romance), John Gielgud, Harry Andrews, Cheryl Campbell, London Weekend Television (LWT), retrieved 19 May 2023
  4. Maxwell, Dominic (14 June 2023). "If So, Then Yes at Jermyn Street Theatre, SW1". ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  5. Billington, Michael (12 September 2010). "If So, Then Yes". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  6. "Sarah Crowden - YouTube". youtube.com. Retrieved 14 June 2023.